The Bleeding Heart
by TheBuddingOne
Summary: It seemed to good to be true, the woman appears out of nowhere, highly skilled, incredibly dangerous and she wants to join the crew. But the question was, what did she need me for? Join Trafalgar Law and the Heart Pirates in an adventure along the Grand Line and their attempts to get to know their resident- did somebody say Vampire?
1. The Candidate

Hey guys, have been made aware that the previous copy of this chapter was hard to read due to confusion over whose pov it was, hope this improves things. As always let me know how I can improve as this is my first ever fanfiction.

The Bud

* * *

It was approaching nightfall when they spotted an island ahead. The yellow submarine had surfaced in preparation for docking at Spire Island, its jolly rodger gleaming wickedly, with DEATH written on its side.

As usual certain inhabitants were itching to explore it, as soon as the sub has surfaced, the submarine's door banged open as an excitable polar bear rushed out `SNOWWWWWWWW!' jumping up in the air, so he could feel the snow dissolve on contact with his nose.

Pounding footsteps were heard running towards the door as pair of hatted individuals tried to squeeze themselves through the door at the same time. One had a hat with Penguin scrawled across its top with the other being blue and red. Sprawling out on the floor, they hopped up and glared at each other pressing their foreheads against each other. Before both turning at once towards their bear friend, "Oi Bepo, I made it through the door first right?"

The bear looked blissfully ignorant, cocking his head to the side, you could almost see a large question mark bouncing above his head.

"Pay attention!" The pair both shouted.

Immediately the bear's head dropped "Sorry."

A chuckle emerged, "Still no luck? Looks like you'll be paying for your own meals this time." This new figure had a flash of platinum hair tied underneath a blue headband, with his boiler suit half done tied around his waist with a white tank top, streaked with oil and grease. He continued to say "Whose bright idea was it to leave the bear in charge of surfacing? Do we know if there's any marines stationed near by?"

At that the hatted pair paled and pointed at the other- "Oi Kai, it was Bepo's fault he rubbed his sweat on us again!"

"Puru puru puru" Kai reached in and plucked the handset off the den den mushi on the wall hearing its gatcha we spoke, "Heya Captain, guess you want to speak to these idiots? Before passing the handset to the paling idiots, upon seeing their faces through the den den, a sigh emerged.

"Shachi-ya, Penguin-ya, do you know whether there are any marine bases on this island?" Somehow their faces paled further, "Er…no Captain"

"And how many marine bases have been on the recent islands?"

"None Captain" Realisation dawned on their faces, "Sorry Captain". At that the den den smirked, "Luckily for us there isn't one on this island, however it seems they have no need due to vigilante justice. Now I heard something about a bet…as punishment the pair of you will be paying for the crews meals until the log pose sets, and this will happen every time you surface the sub without permission." Their shoulders slumped, as they muttered "Yes, Captain."

Behind them Bepo, was happily ignoring his crewmates pain, spinning around still in the snow. Hearing the Captain, he shouted "Captain there's snow!" Chuckling the den den smiled, and said "Nearly there, Bepo". As this was said their Captain finally arrived to join them on deck.

Trafalgar Law, Captain of the Heart Pirates with a bounty of 133 million Beri, emerged in his yellow and blue hoodie, holding his nodachi over his shoulder.

"Shachi-ya, Penguin-ya tell the rest of the crew to prepare to dock and of the meal arrangement."

* * *

 **The Woman POV**

Walking down the main street, to her house she could hear the whispers as she was passing by. There were pirates in town, and apparently big ones. Like it mattered, they all thought they were big pirates. It wasn't until she caught a flash of yellow between two buildings that she took notice. A yellow submarine was placed in one of the larger docks, its jolly rodger displaced on the side. It was them, the Heart Pirates and the Surgeon of Death. According to reports he had eaten the Ope Ope no Mi, and was a renowned sadist but then again that was the newspapers. Seems like she was a lucky, a possible candidate had come her way and one of the Eleven Supernova no less.

Rushing back to her house, the woman quickly changed into a long black cloak that shrouded her form. A silver moon broach fastened it at her neck with long brown leather gloves on her hands.

The woman smirked as she saw the Heart Pirates walk by the alley, their faces reflected behind them displaying their wanted posters like they were runway models. Hiding in the shadows, her shoulders shaking in silent laughter at some unknown thought. This was her chance, if the rumours were true it was time to meet another Dark Doctor. Jumping up onto the rooftop in a single leap, she silently trailed the pirates, making sure to keep downwind of the bear.

* * *

A few hours later...

Loud music blared out of the bar, which the pirates had finally settled in. They'd been from establishment to establishment throughout the night, and ended up in a strip club that she knew offered other services to those that paid well. As time went on their Captain, had looked increasingly exasperated and she knew this would be her chance to attract his attention.

Slipping in through the back door, the hood of her cloak was drawn up as she pushed through drunk patrons trying to access the bathrooms. Emerging into the main room of the club, the regulars gave her a wide birth, its staff flashing her grins as she walked by to a corner. Leaning back against the wall, she relaxed letting her senses roam across the room. Eyes upon the stage, she saw several of the pirates clambering over each other to be close to a petite yet busty girl on stage. `Typical, but that's kind of what I needed.'

Her blue-grey eyes found him in another corner, eyes already scanning her cloaked figure. She knew from experience that he wouldn't be able to tell her gender or build from the cloak that covered her form. Looked like she wouldn't have to wait to enact her plan, focusing on one of the waitresses walking by in skimpy outfits she raised a gloved hand to attract her attention.

Catching her eye, I made eye contact and could feel my pupils pulse, I ordered a scotch whiskey and sent it his way. I could see her confusion has her eyes dilated and repeated my order. Before she slinked away to prepare it.

* * *

 **Law POV**

"Excuse me, Sir?" My eyes finally left the cloaked figure in the corner, to find the same waitress they'd waved over she placed down her serving tray and placed a glass in front of me.

"What's the meaning of this?" I had made it perfectly clear to all the staff that I didn't appreciate any of their attention, it should go to my men. Couldn't they understand basic instructions?... She didn't answer quickly.

"Sorry sir, is this not your order?" The woman looked confused and was displaying classic signs of a concussion, she looked unsteady on her feet, the delay in answering questions it was only then that I noticed the size of her pupils, they engorged until almost completely blocking out her iris. The lighting wouldn't have adjusted it that much. Over her shoulder, I saw the cloaked figures hood dip, its shoulders shaking send the tumbles of fabric rippling, as it laughed. Their hand gestured raising a glass.

"Of course, thank you for your service." At that the skimpily clad woman smiled, her pupils returned to normal and she looked confused once again before she remembered where she was and went on to collect orders.

Raising my hand to the glass, I swirled its contents allowing its smell to waft up- scotch whiskey- a favourite of mine, yet I'd only drunk it in the first bar we'd visited. So either this figure had been following us, or they were trying to impress me with an expensive drink my bets were on the former.

Talking quietly, "Bepo, please check this glass for anything that could have been added." Even as I was saying this, the figures cloaked started rippling again, seems I was an amusing watch tonight the thought was not a pleasant one.

"Clean Captain, I can't smell anything." Once again the cloaked figure raised its hand imitating holding a glass. I got the distinct impression that they knew what was going on, despite the loud music and the stage of women in between us. A challenge had been issued, and as much as logic dictated that I probably shouldn't accept, I was the surgeon of Death I could handle one sip.

Taking a small sip, I waited five minutes allowing any potential affects to make themselves known. All the while the cloaked figures hood looked at the girls on stage and monitored the progress of my glass with frequent looks, urging me to drink up.

The time had passed and it was becoming increasingly obvious that if there was anything in the glass then it wasn't strong and my system was obviously suited to fighting against drugs or there was nothing in it.

The figure was talking to another skimpily clad woman that looked eager to spend time with them. A regular then, or someone with renown in this area. Testing a theory I looked at the figure out on the corner of my eye, being careful to shield my mouth from view asked "Cloak-ya, is this your drink?" Once again the cloak rippled as the hood swayed back and forth, and raised its hand to point at me. It was clear, it was mine.

"Sorry Captain, I don't know what you mean" As Bepo asked, the stripper grabbed the outstretched arm of the cloaked figure pulling it to one of the back rooms. The hood swivelled in my direction and I caught a flash of its eyes. The hood nodded to the back rooms and looked back, clearly someone was trying very hard to attract my attention.

"Just testing a theory, Bepo. Stay here, mind the crew, I won't be long."

Slipping from the table before the bear could answer, my eyes scanned the rest of the room to see if anyone else was following. If this was an ambush they hadn't moved yet, but I had brought Kikoku just in case.

Coming to the hallway, I pushed through the curtain to see the stripper pushed back against the wall. Her neck was outstretched upwards, her hands pinned above her head with a single gloved hand. The hood was pressed against the stripper's neck, the woman mewling underneath in pleasure and pain. Pulling away, the hood looked at the woman once before pulling away from the woman completely, the woman stayed in her position almost as if she didn't notice she could move again. Blood ran in two parallel lines slowly beading down her neck.

Directing its attention to me, the figure drawled "Trafalgar Law, thanks for joining us." The cloaks hood was pulled down to reveal dark brown hair, and gleaming blue-grey eyes. But the most startling of all was not the beauty of the woman, or her shockingly pale skin, but the blood that ran down her chin. Against all odds, only one word came to mind- Vampire.


	2. The Deal

**Law POV**

A Vampire…How interesting…Either that or someone was trying very hard to convince him, for what purpose he didn't know but it wouldn't hurt to keep his guard up. Devil fruit perhaps? Maybe a mythical zoan, if it could turn someone into a phoenix why not a vampire.

The woman in front of him was slender and petite, approximately 5"4, her hair tumbled in waves to rest upon her cloak just below the neckline of what he could now see was a leather corset resting beneath her cloak. Before he could continue in his perusal of her body, a voice broke his attention.

"Are you quite finished?" She had one slender eyebrow raised, smirking at his expression. It seemed he had amused her.

* * *

 **The Woman POV**

"Are you quite finished?" She looked at the man again, raising her eyebrow as she did so. Already she was not disappointed, although he had yet to speak to her face to face she was immensely intrigued. Having gone to the trouble to stage a feeding he hadn't even batted an eyelid at seeing the blood trickle down her chin.

His eyes flickered up to hers, once again lingering upon her chin and teeth before continuing in his perusal of her person. It seemed he was waiting for her to crack. Like that would happen soon.

Trafalgar Law, in the flesh stood before her. Well the newspapers had at least one thing right. He was impossibly tall-well compared to her. He was slender almost lanky if it were not for the hint of wiry muscles underneath, definitely stronger than he looks, maybe like a marathon runner perhaps he was more of an endurance fighter. There was no way of telling without provoking him, but that was not the purpose for which she had attracted his attention.

His jeans were well tailored and displayed the spotted pattern, seen amongst islands in the North Blue. His hand clasped his nodachi holding it casually against his left shoulder. His fingers wrapped around them, displaying tattoos across his fingers spelling `Death', and she wondered whether they had been inked before or after he gained his moniker the `Surgeon of Death'.

Trails of tattoos rose above the collar of his hoodie, and she began to question another thing she had heard. According to certain sources, that were less than credible the man was decked in tattoos all converging on his heart. The man by all accounts was sadistic and a mad killer, yet why had he named his pirates after a heart she would never be able to guess. Perhaps he was like a certain tin man, in his metal submarine, perhaps it was his way of saying he needed a heart.

She snorted at her train of thought, she had gotten quite side tracked from her mission. There was countless metaphors and reasons that could be the reason why they were called the Heart Pirates and she doubted she would find the answer to that anytime soon. Besides he was studying her as well, she wondered whether she would be as interesting as the man before her.

"Well, if you're going to stick around, be a dear for me and make sure no-one comes in." With that she turned on her heel and reached the stripper once again. Wiping the blood from her face before, lapping at the lines on the woman's neck. Feeling her squirm beneath her touch.

She heard him take steps closer, looking over her shoulder at what she was doing. Before she once again bit down on the flesh below her.

* * *

 **Law POV**

"Well, if you're going to stick around be a dear for me and make sure no-one comes in." The woman said to him before returning to the stripper. Normally he didn't take to well to orders even if it was a suggestion. Yet the woman had a point, he doubted anyone else that could enter would be as calm as he was. Stepping closer he could see the woman over her shoulder, had once again bitten down, her throat contracting as she swallowed. This was no trick; she was clearly drinking blood as if it was a regular occurrence for her.

Then why did she want him to see this, that she wanted him to see was obvious. Curious, the most likely answer was to bait him and trap him, after all surely she could drain him of some blood and dump him on some marine base and claim her prize if she thought she was strong enough. That was another thing that was hard to gauge her strength. It seemed he'd get nowhere with silence, and the fact that she hadn't immediately started chatting helped her a great deal, she was strong willed and confident clearly not many could do what she was doing. Three quarters through the first half of the grand line he was not used to such casual treatment, people did what he wanted when he wanted.

"You trust me an awful lot for someone you've just met. Why did you want me to see this, Miss…?" The woman pulled back once again tracing her tongue over the wounds once again before turning to him.

"Venandi Gwen. Are you not interested? My mistake, sorry to bother you Trafalgar."

"It's no bother Miss Vena-"

"Gwen. Just Gwen is fine." My eyes narrowed, she had interrupted and given a suggestion, even if it was phrased well.

"I don't think we're onto a first name basis Miss-"

"Yet." Her eyes flashed in triumph as the corner of her mouth twitched upwards into a smirk. Before I could rebuke her, she had moved on. Her arms came to clasp each other seemingly behind her back as she leaned casually, with one foot up placed on the wall behind her. At the height of ease, despite the trembling woman still fixed to the wall on her right. "I do believe we can come to some sort of arrangement. I have something you want, and you have something that I would like. It's only a matter of discussing the details."

"Details? What exactly is it that I have that you want?"

"Would like." She corrected. "Well to put it simply, I would like to join your crew." That had not been what he was expecting, why was she being this abrupt, and why my crew. Was she a plant, a spy? Pushing that aside for now, what was on offer for him. How was she so confident about her knowledge of what he wanted.

"And what is it that you have, that I want?" Again her eyes, flashed in amusement and her position relaxed against the wall bringing her arms to either side and gestured towards herself.

"Me."

She left it at that. No further movement or explanation came from her as she waited for my response. Why do I get the feeling that I'm being tested? Well, it does seem that way. I might have to revaluate her position of confidence, it seems like arrogance now. Although she has sought me out, I know practically nothing about her and her abilities, anything about vampires of legend could either help or hamper me. No not arrogance, but what about temperament. Let's poke her character a bit and see.

"Now Miss Venandi-" No interruption, promising. "I'd say be careful- that sounds quite arrogant. After insisting that you would only like to join me, yet insisting that I want you after sharing less than four minutes in my company. Sounds arrogant indeed, especially when there's nothing stopping me from leaving right now."

Her head was meekly looking at the floor, oh she doesn't like that accusation. "Oh but there is something." Raising her chin, the grin on her face, completely contrasted with the meekness her body language was portraying. She grinned at me, extending the pause for as long as possible, testing my patience. Just as my lips parted to question her, she beat me to it.

"Curiosity. Just like how you were curious enough to watch me from across a room, ignoring your own crew talking to you and the dancers on stage. That same curiosity that meant you just had to try that drink you hadn't ordered. Is that curiosity, really going to be satisfied with a tiny conversation with a Vampire no less and be able to walk away."

Pushing off that wall she strode up, slowly stepping and testing with each step how close she could get to me without making me uncomfortable. Stopping when her nose almost brushed my chest. "That same curiosity that lets me get this close. No don't insult me, your better than that."

"Oh am I? How would you know?"

"Care to prove me wrong? Of course you'd have to spend more time in my horrible company."

I raised a hand, putting it on her shoulder and pushing her back a step. She moved with it, had expected it.

"Back to business, eh? I think it's fairly obvious at this point that I'm a Vampire, and well quite frankly are you really going to let an opportunity to study a Vampire pass you by? Besides you'll also gain a skilled crewmate in your favour. Think of the possibilities, this woman hasn't bled out yet nor has she moved from this wall or done anything that I don't want her to do." Some skills indeed, the possibilities for preventing blood loss alone, where more than enough to attract my attention. The crew would be safer, between myself and the woman it also opened more potential avenues for information, victims could still bleed out but that much slower and I wouldn't have to use my fruit. But what about gathering information on the crew?

"What happened to the waitress who served my drink? What did you do to her?"

At that she nodded, "Oh I only made a suggestion." That wasn't the answer I was looking for, and she knew it. "Oh now, don't look at me like that, I can't reveal all my information at once besides you've offered me no guarantees."

It was a fair comment, she was negotiating and doing it well, this wasn't her first time. "I don't appreciate being ordered, Miss Venandi"

"It was simply a suggestion."

"If it was a suggestion, this offer of yours why ask me? Why not tell me that I was now a part of the crew, and make it seem like it was my idea."

"Because I don't think it wise to start an encounter with my potential captain by forcing him to do by bidding. Besides, as soon as you became aware of the ability later on in the journey you would always wonder whether I had used it on you in the first place. Not exactly, a good thing to plant seeds of doubt for further along the journey of the Grand Line where it will only be more perilous."

They were all good points, yet I couldn't help wonder whether I was being influenced even as she denied it.

* * *

 **Gwen POV**

I could see him hesitating. He was so close to agreeing. Some more information then, show him your trustworthy Gwen. I moved my eyes and fixed them on his chin.

"How about this? You're unsure of whether I'm influencing you at the moment. For my influence to work, I need to make eye-contact, for the rest of your duration on Spire Island in the presence of yourself or your crew I will not make eye contact but look at your chins. If you want to find out more, you can find me."

I walked once more to the skimpy waitress, making eye contact before whispering quietly into her ear, "You will remember none of this conversation after I leave this room. You will kindly escort Mr Law back to his booth and tell him about the island and where he can pick up medical supplies for his crew."

He was behind me again, "What are you getting her to do?"

I turned fixing my gaze on his chin once more, this would be irritating no chance of reading his expression this way, but if it needed to be done I could do it. "Making sure that the residents don't think there's anything wrong with their friendly neighbourhood stranger, and no mention of vampire meets their ears." Raising my hood and rearranging so I looked the same as before slightly pulling the curtain aside, "Oh and Trafalgar, I'd appreciate it if you made no mention of Vampires to anyone else. Goodbye Doctor."

Letting the curtain fall, I slipped through the crowds quickly reaching the back door and dispersing into the night.


End file.
